Five Questions for May 12, 2013: Connie Towers

Connie Towers is a wife, a sister and a resident of Wilton. She is also the principal of McKinley Griffen Design & Advertising and founding member and board Vice President of the Wilton Food Pantry.

Q What is your day like at an advertising agency?

A The creative process is making something out of nothing. It's not as simple as it may seem. By using a variety of media, and an effectively designed sales and marketing campaign, we help clients convince a targeted audience to buy a service, donate funds, or purchase a product. We are a full service agency utilizing all the tools at our disposal: new media communications, identities such as logos, package design, or collateral material such as direct mail, and annual reports. We sometimes use nontraditional means to reach people. This business is deadline driven. I can plan the day, and then something unexpected occurs. You adjust. Being self-employed can require 12 to 16 hour days, so I value my downtime as precious.

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Q Is your husband involved with the agency?

A My husband Dennis and I are a team in this agency. His strengths are in sales and marketing; mine are in design and advertising. We've been in business since 1989 in Wilton.

Q What were some of the recognizable ad or marketing campaigns you were responsible for?

A We did nationally known sports logos, including the Albany River Rats, Kentucky Thoroughblades Hockey and NY OTBzz Tennis. The label, package and store display design for White Face Pale Ale, Sackets Harbor's War of 1812 Amber Ale, and Ten Springs Brewing Company's Fat Bear Stout was our work. We came up with the "Raise Your Spirits, Raise Your Dreams, Raise Your Families" slogan for the Saratoga County Chamber.

Q What are some of your personal interests?

A I love organic gardening. I have perennial beds, herb gardens and grow garlic and vegetables. I'm also fond of my chestnut golden retriever.

Q What led to your decision to found the Wilton Food Pantry?

A The way I was brought up had a lot to do with it. I'm one of four sisters who grew up in Cohoes. We lived over the home of our Ukrainian grandparents who came to America from Kiev for the freedom of speech and religion. We lived on Manor Avenue, referred to as "the Hill" when the textile and paper mills were thriving in the city. My grandparents had a greenhouse and worked the clay soil with a rototiller to produce amazing amounts of raspberries, peaches, strawberries, tomatoes, zucchini and other vegetables. They bartered for things in the neighborhood and supplied local grocers with produce. Their example and the Native American heritage on Dennis' side of our family deeply ingrained in us a reverence for the land and a sense of responsibility to take care of our neighbors as we would our own family. In this land of abundance, no one should have an empty refrigerator. It could happen to any one of us, and food is not an option. For more information: http://www.mckinleygriffen.com; http://www.wiltonfoodpantry.org .